The Storyteller

New Zealand Tablet, 22 February 1917, Page 3

The Storyteller

I '♦ ; ■ PHILEAS FOX, ATTORNEY .:■■-■:-- •-;: .. .-y~- -,,,--;'■/■■ •, ■;--".-•-..:/"- ______^_--;:'.-v.-« :■ ; : :■.;:.. , ; . : <;, : ...--.-: v ; ". By Anna T. Sadlieb.* ■ - [By Arrangement with, the Ave M aria/\:- '■■'■ ' .■■■: T: .-■■ • ; : " (Continued.) ;: • ' ■'. r ' ; :', ■ ''"• XX. : . ...": John ..<Vorst remained silent while Phileas read the following paragraph of the offensive letter :<, - - - •'.. < ' ' ' William Gross writes these presents to _warn you .; ; of a snake that has crossed ; your path, and who bears ; : the ugly name of Fox. A red-headed shyster >. of a■..:■■■■lawyer, he is trying ; to get the better of you, in conjunction with the old woman in Monroe street. , He - was seen more than; once at her house, and is understood to J be engaged by her, because he is so' young and so unknown that he could be trusted'to" do any dirty work, v He. plays fair to deceive you,- and one of.. your Romish priests is in the deal.' ; ,i ' That first part of the letter you may pass over, |if you wish,', laughed Mr. Vorst." It is a little, bit the reverse of complimentary, and, of course, would not have given me a thought. But it is the latter portion of the precious epistle that I thought might be worth" considering.' - ' .. ' Phileas, who had colored sensitively at the allusions to himself, though he laughed too,. and met the y, kindly glance of Mr. Vorst with a steadfast one from g his own blue orbs, gave his attention again to the docu- - ment. It was written legibly enough, in a round, clerkly hand. ■ - . ' You've insulted me and ill-treated me for many , a year,' read Phileas from the paper 'but I'll do you a good turn now at the last, and spite that miserable cur of a lawyer that's plotting to take away your property. I know, and my father before me knew, that John Vorst, senior, left a will, and in it he willed everything to yourself, and nothing to them that claimed a portion on account of a previous will and, more than that he wiped out the whole ground of litigation, and cleared up the title that's been in dispute. And no one should know better than my father, since he witnessed the document.' - -, 'A pair of scoundrels, father and son!' cried Phileas. ' They knew of the existence of that will and kept it secret.' John Vorst was # momentarily silent Phileas remembered that another had known of its existence and refused to testify to that knowledge. ; ... ' He and his father probably stole the will between them, so as to be revenged on you.' •It seems likely,' agreed Mr. Vorst. 'But we must not jump too hastily at conclusions. The will certainly disappeared .in the hours following upon my father's death. He himself had informed me of having signed such a document, and deposited it in. the library safe. I did not know its contents, nor did I inquire but, from the tenor of my father's -remarks, I believed that it was such as this fellow has now stated ; _ -I understood that he had revoked certain provisions which he had made two'years previously, on the occasion of my marriage. He was, however, a reticent . man about his affairs, and did not care to be questioned. But he also gave me to understand that he had made some arrangement by which ; the i informalities in the original sale, and which had already led to litigation, - had been amended. In that final will he; left everything to me, but, as it were, in trust for the other heirs, and that each might receive a due share.'',_,./--: ' And it .was these wretches,' observed Phileas, 'who have caused these interminable lawsuits; and kept " you out of your property!' . -<_ ">'■; . : v You are determined to charge everything upon them,' said the elder man, laughing; ' and : they certainly were the cause of much mischief, in the sense that

tney might have given: evidence my;favor. But as to the rest, we ? must have some' charity even for 'the - William . Grosses i andr—their . fathers;' , | ' We shall . have justice for the son, in any case,' f replied Phileas; angrily. : He could not think nor speak t-, patiently i of the miscreant,. especially after what -he had just heard. : ," J'.T.?;.' .}"..-';;;• :~. .'.-*~I. .;;■' '-" : .£- [ 1; 'And to all this I am prepared to. swear, continued the letter; and to bring forward other evidence, in order to circumvent that villain Fox and to frustrate % his schemes. - I warn you to turn him out next time ihe calls on you, and to treat him in all respects as he | deserves.' , r ... '■> ■;. ■.',- ;■;'; : .sy;. ■:<l-'.-- /'-./■■ ' l-~ He little knows,' said Phileas .Fox, chuckling g 'that he has done me, and us all, an immense service I in smoothing the way for a . final settlement of an intricate affair.' s ,„\... j. ~v t ." '*:;, ' ...\ ,/ •! '' You may well call it an intricate affair,' mused . John Vorst; and of course that arose, as I presume you have long since discovered, from ; the fact that 1 Martha Spooner was , not only , mentioned in my. father's former will as my wife, but as having had a prior jj claim to the Monroe street property through her mother's family, who were the original owners of the ; dwelling— at least the ground oh which it was built, —and once again • through her- distant kinship with my father's family.' -\ ( ' ; ' My client explained those different points to me in our various interviews,' .said Phileas. ' Which makes it unnecessary to go into those matters at present,' said Mr. Vorst, with evident relief ' though, of course, at any time I shall be glad to > clear up any difficulty that may exist in your mind. But what steps shall you take with regard to this letter?' - : ,-'! ' . & j 'Our object must be to get possession, if possible, of that will, if it be still in existence; or at least to obtain such evidence as the rascal may be induced to give. He little knows the rod that the District Attorney's office has in pickle, for him. I have been asked this very day to assist in procuring his conviction. If this matter of the will can be brought home to him, it alone will be sufficient to send him up for some years.' Remember, my dear fellow,' objected John Vorst, with an involuntary smile, 'that this William himself could have had no hand in the actual abstraction of the will, since he was not even born at the time of my father's death.' ' By his own showing, he was aware of the existence of the document, and probably of its abstraction. His father had evidently made him privy to the fact.' 'I think I should be glad to fasten that particular crime upon him, —I mean upon the elder Gross,' said John Vorst, slowly. And Phileas, looking at him, realised what it must have meant to this man to have had during all those years a doubt, which very probably he would scarcely admit to himself, that some one —some one who had a more direct interest in the transaction—might have abstracted the paper. The young man, therefore, did not ask any question, but waited in silence while Mr. Vorst went on: 'Otherwise, I have no special desire to . see the wretch punished. As we grow older, we realise that the hour of punishment, lesser or greater, is coming for everyone of us; and we are disposed, as far as we are personally concerned, to leave even the most desperate offenders to the last tribunal.' 'But the good of society must- be considered,' argued Phileas, with the hot zeal of youth. This ruffian is a menace to every decent citizen.' 'I suppose so, —I suppose so,' agreed John Vorst; • and it will be your duty to convict him if you can, instead of leaving him to the last Grand Assizes J - But, oh, I can find it in my heart to pity such as he, who have never known one generous impulse, one inspiration toward good!' ; , .- ". /_ But .think of his victims,': said Phileas. _■•—■ •' Yes, I acknowledge that they must be thought of, . and such .an offender; must be put out of the way of doing evil. I "was''merely thinking of my personal"' feelings, you inexorable man. of law!' ... : ; ; ; -U

And Phileas eould not help wondering a little* ; since the • man before him* of all others, had 1 reason! to complain of the machinations of this Gross, or Trowbridge, and, as it appeared, likewise of his father. 'Of course,' the lawyer said, waiving any further ; discussion of : the abstract part of the subject, 'the will, can be obtained from him—if indeed >he possesses it—" only through you.' ' Through.me ?' echoed John Vorst, shrinking back in repulsion; then, almost immediately bracing himself,. he added : ;' But I must be brave, and do whatever; >is required of .me.' ■■ ';■--." ";..'';' ; - , •' Were I to act,' said Phileas, he might destroy the will and refuse to give evidence. In ifact];- it is certain that such would- be his procedure. You must, therefore, approach him in person, or, possibly, through your attorney. Of course there is the other alternative^" of causing his immediate arrest on some one of the other , indictments .which we hope to 'bring against him, and striving to force him, through the production- of this letter, to divulge his knowledge, of the whole matter. But I believe ;the former course to be preferable.' • . ' Come and dine with me this evening, and' we can discuss the affair at our leisure,' said John Vorst. 'My cab is waiting, if you care to come now ";, or you can call for me at your convenience, and we can decide on whatever hotel you modern man of the day may select.' This being agreed upon, Phileas met ? and accompanied his newly made friend to one of those great hostelnes which have made the name of Manhattan famous, and there they debated the question in all its bearings. They finally decided that the matter should be arranged through John Vorst's solicitor, who should . interview the miscreant, and obtain from 7 him a full confession of the affair, and, if possible, the missing document. | John Vorst stipulated only one thing: t that such confession and the missing will, even if. procured, should not be brought in evidence against the wretch, provided that his conviction could be otherwise procured. 'I have very little doubt/ said Phileas, I that we can get all the evidence we need against him in other quarters.' And so, in fact, it proved. It would require many chapters to describe the emotions of that pastmaster of villainy when, after giving up the will, and freely confessing, under promise of immunity, the share which he himself and his father had taken in those transactions of the past, he discovered that he had unwittingly befriended the lawyer with the red hair and predatory cognomen, against whom he had vowed an everlasting vengeance. . Almost tragic in its intensity was the scene when that discovery was made, and, face to face with Phileas Fox—the latter stern, menacing, and representing the full majesty of the law, —he learned of the fatal mistake that he had made, and of the relations in which Phileas really stood both to plaintiff and defendant in the famous, suit. - Phileas was not yet hardened enough to receive with equanimity the storm of invective which was poured out against him by the miscreant. With a cold and deadly malignity more terrible" than the fiercest rage, the wretch cursed him and called down the most awful maledictions upon his head. The young attorney could not repress a shudder and that fearful scene often recurred to him long after the villain,;convicted upon one of the numerous other indictments against him, was sent for a term of years to ; the inferno of dangerous criminals in the innocent-looking village of Sing Sing. \- ;•;■ ;, - ' .: .'!-._. ;,.-:'; K f : -: : '£ _ ; ■).;■; '.' .. ■ ... -\ ' ; XXI. v: /; _,:;; \' . : i ;7 .■/ V' Somehow, r during the .first days following upon Mrs. Wilson's-illness, and in the: press of work that had .. coincided therewith, Phileas had been forced to neglect John Vorst, in whose company he had, nevertheless; found an ever-growing charm. From the occasion of that dinner" wherein they had discussed the affair of Jason Trowbridge, he had not seen*him at all. ■-''- But-after that memorable interview with Isabel, when

Love, overleaping the barriers of reserve, had thrown down t the gage : of battle to unpropitious ’ Circumstance, the lawyer, in view of the girl’s warning, had felt uneasy. It seemed incumbent upon him to communicate to ' the old : man the intelligence which 4 he ? had hitherto ■ sedulously guarded from him,that of Mrs. > Wilson's : condition. Isabel’s pessimistic view. of the situation seemed to justify some \preparation of John Vorst for a summons that Phileas felt might be sent to him. Therefore, he took his way to, the lodging-house, where ; he • was greeted by Mrs. O’Rourke, with a look of reproach upon her worn face. ; . ... ; i •; ‘ I’m glad you have come at last, Mr. Fox, sir,’ she said. * The old gentleman has missed you sorely, and he seems kind of down like these few days back.’ It was not my fault that I did not come sooner and oftener,’ the lawyer answered, as. he was ushered into the front parlor, where he found John Vorst seated as usual, in his chair near the window. There was in his attitude some trace of despondency, which he instantly threw off when the visitor appeared. Phileas was oppressed by the consciousness of the mission upon which he had come. He felt persuaded that John Vorst should know, and yet he found it very hard to broach what might be called the intimate and personal part of the business between husband and wife. Hitherto,, it had not been thought, necessary to acquaint the old man with the facts - concerning Mrs. Wilson’s' seizure. She had either been unconscious or too weak for even the smallest excitement; while, on the other hand, the physician had assured Phileas that the patient might linger for a considerable period in the same state. Isabel’s opinion had, however, brought home to the lawyer 1 the responsibility of permitting John Vorst to remain in ignorance of his wife’s condition and, moreover, there was the possibility, amounting almost to a certainty, that Mrs. Wilson might ask to see John Vorst.

As the young attorney sat constrained and uncomfortable, the . experienced man of the world beside him was observing his perturbation with eyes that were keen for all their gentleness. He wondered what was amiss with his frank and ordinarily interesting visitor. He made no remark, however but with his perfect tact, waited for the other’s explanation. At last Phileas, taking his courage in hand, blurted out ' - V- * There is something I want to say to you, Mr. Vorst, and I find it hard to make a beginning.’ The older man turned to him instantly, with the exquisite sympathy that all Eis life through had won friends for Mr. Vorst.

My dear boy,’ he replied,' I have always found that when anything painful had to be said or done, the safest rule was, the sooner the Better. If what you have to say concerns me, remember that I am too well inured to trials of all sorts to flinch now. If it concerns you, — why, you must know me well enough by this time to be. certain of my sympathy,’ - 4 The former supposition is the correct one,’ said Phileas. . ... .

‘Then it does concern me?’ John Vorst exclaimed quietly, and for the merest instant he bowed his head ; and Phileas fancied he was praying. When he looked up again, Mr. Fox was struck with the brave, -bright expression of the face. It was such as a soldier might have worn going into battle. ' ‘ Old age,’ he said, * makes cowards of us all; Forgive the paraphrase, and go on with what you have to tell me.’

.X; In the various conversations I have had with you concerning the case of Spooner vs. Vorst, or Vorst vs. Spooner, I have avoided as much as possible -what might be called the personal side of the affair.’ . ‘ I appreciate your delicacy,’ said John Vorst, with a slightly perceptible stiffening of the figure.' * The interval since my last visit to you,’ continued Phileas, 4 has been one of painful anxiety at the house in Monroe street. Its mistress was attacked by a seizure of some sort, and has been very seriously ill.’ The face of the listener,, seeming to grow tense in every line, slowly blanched; while g# (ilnjpst painful tyightvm erntred about tho om y ■ ; ' w v ■- .• - • ■ -

4 She is better,’ the young man added hastily; * though I have been told by one who has closely fol|l lowed ? her v case that ; she l is " not likely to t survive very •• ■ long.’ <-.;A;--- ■ Still JohnVorat gazed at the speaker, maintaining tne same >; rigid attitude, and , with >an expression of ; keenest suffering; but : he spoke no word. ■fe •■: .*. Under these circumstances, certain , business affairs have been necessarily interrupted,’ the lawyer went on. 4 But - I feel, it only right to tell you ; that they shall have to be terminated speedily, i aridv that your attention to them will now; be; necessary.’ . 4 Oh, it can not •be : necessary,’ cried John ; Vorst, vehemently, * to disturb a dying woman by details ! of business ! ’ ■?// ■ C- ; ; r--' ■

‘ It may be necessary to a certain extent,’ Phileas said gravely. - ‘ 4 I can not, will not, force such details upon her,’ persisted’ John Vorst. ” ‘ That is entirely my own feeling,’ said Phileas. 4 Even though acting in the capacity of her attorney, I have taken: no steps and made no suggestion since - her seizure. - Nevertheless, I believe that she may wish -to see straightened out certain matters that may necessi- . tate your co-operation. You will understand that,' in - the whole affair, a grave responsibility has been, placed upon my shoulders; and I can not entirely rid myself of that burden without at least acquainting you with my client’s wishes. She was so painfully anxious that justice should be done to everyone concerned.’ -; - Poor Martha,—poor Martha murmured the white lips, so softly that it seemed merely, the whisper of the breeze passing the window frame. 5 ' r earnestly, 4 that God would, permit. her to repair all wrongs,—to complete what she called ; her expiation. Therefore, Mr. Vorst, at the risk of seeming hard, I must respect that: trust she has reposed in me, and relieve her mind by complying with the few remaining formalities that are absolutely necessary. ' You will help me in this, will you not?’ ‘lt is a difficult and delicate question,’ answered Mr. Vorst; ‘and all my instincts are against any introduction of business at the present juncture. But still, if it could afford her the slightest comfort and relief, of course you must do what you think expedient.’ His voice became so'broken as to be inaudible but he rallied and said firmly. '

4 May God direct you ! Already, at the outset of your career, you are discovering that the right thing is very often that which is at variance with one’s feelings. I can not advise, but I beg of you to spare my poor Martha all you can; and if you see any other means of accomplishing her wishes, do so. For myself, I am totally indifferent to the result. My course is nearly run. In a few short months, or years at best, I shall have followed her into the shadows, and in the meantime I have sufficient for my actual needs.’= ‘ But consider, Mr. Vorst,’ urged the lawyer, ‘ that as matters now stand, if these affairs are not . settled before my .. client’s... demise, . the estate must be divided between her next of kin, to whom she is altogether indifferent, and that act of justice which it is her desire to do must remain undone. And remember that besides yourself are the other heirs for whom you have hitherto contested.’

‘Yes,’ assented John Vorst; 4 there are the other heirs for whom all these legal battles were fought unavailingly.’ ‘ . 4 For their sakes, then,’ said Phileas, ‘ but still more for my client’s sake, we must make this last effort.’ - .. J -

• ‘ Do whatever you think best,’ agreed the old man, in a tone in which there was only infinite weariness. . Phileas felt the tears rise unbidden to his eyes. The tragedy of this life, once so rich in promise, wrecked by no fault of his own, but by the multiplied wrong-doing of . another,, smote upon the young man .with full force at that moment.. As he began to realise something of what that other had suffered, his wrath rose and burned, fiercely against one who, now as p!f intiff, now SS defendant) had wpp4 a bitter ■ wo?-

: - fare. : But > even in ; the midst of ; his ' anger something like pity*; welled ; up within him ■ for ' that |other life, so ; much more surely wrecked than this; and for the old woman who was expending the: last of; her strength in striving after reparation. , v •'■; ‘ You forgive all ?’. whispered Phileas. : v/Forgive; cried / John Vorst, turning those brilliant and unnaturally distended eyes upon the speaker. ‘ Have you never heard the saying, “Love is stronger than death. It forgives all A it understands all” ?' O my dear boy, my whole heart goes out. to her, lying ‘ alone amongst the shadows! If you could have seen ■ her as I saw her, young, gay, and beautiful, you would feel the pathos , and the pity of it. Nothing else appeals to mo now.’ .• •, v - Phileas did not interrupt that retrospect even by a single, word. Only partially could he understand the varied emotions that were rending the strong frame - before him with an agony too deep for adequate expression, but which yet had loosened that long silent : tongue and given voice to the thoughts of years. Phileas, therefore, sat still, while the clock ticked away the slow moments. That complete forgiveness upon the part of one deeply wronged appeared to him most marvellous, especially when he looked around the lodging-house parlor, and considered the sordid surroundings wherein this man had been glad to find a refuge from legal persecution. He finally roused his P friend from a painful reverie to say : ‘ It seems probable to me, Mr. Vorst, that you might be sent for, should the danger become imminent.’ ,‘ And I shall most willingly go,’ said the old man, ‘if only I can feel assured that my presence shall not bo unwelcome.’

I I believe that my client may even express a wish to see you.' 'I shall be ready at any moment. God forbid that I should refuse any request of hers!' And remember, sir,' added Phileas, that you may command me at any time. lam altogether at your service.' ; The hand-shake exchanged between the two men was strong and cordial, and John Vorst said: .'I thank you from my heart. I will be guided by whatever you and Father Van Buren may think best. But I beg of you, my dear Fox, to make everything as easy as possible for— client, and to consider me personally not at all.' Phileas went away, pondering deeply upon that first impression ; which he had got from reading dry legal documents, and thinking how completely the order of things, as they then appeared to him, .had been reversed, just as in the successive lawsuits plaintiff had changed places with defendant, and defendant with plaintiff. He further reflected, in the unwontedly solemn tone of thought that had been induced by his late experiences, how often those legal phrases twist and rend the deepest fibres of human nature and make men's hearts their playthings. |ln the midst of his moralising, Mr. Fox smiled to remember the exaggerated precaution which Mrs. Wilson had at first taken to insure secrecy concerning his visits to the house in Monroe street; and the subsequent measures to be adopted, until reassured by him on that point. For the poor soul had seemed to forget that greater New York goes on its way unheeding, caring little for what occupies the atoms composing its population. " _ . (To be continued.)